Wrist-watch



July 4, 1961 J. COMTE 2,990,678

WRIST-WATCH Filed May 15, 1957 ham rot (/400055 COMTE United States Patent 2,990,678 WRIST-WATCH Jacques Comte, 7th Place du Temple, Geneva, Switzerland Filed May 13, 1957, Ser. No. 658,722 Claims priority, application Switzerland May 22, 1956 2 Claims. (Cl. 58-88) The present invention has for its object a wrist-watch comprising a case having a bezel and a back and provided with retaining members on which are supported fastening devices of the two extremities of the wrist-watch strap. This wrist-Watch is distinguished from the known watches by the fact that the case overhangs on at least two opposite sides of the back and presents thus a lower face, by the fact that the back juts out in relation to the said lower face of the case and by the fact that the said retaining members are located between the plane of the upper edge of the case and the plane of the back and are atlixed to a surface located within a cylinder, the generatrix of which contacts the peripheral edge of the case.

The attached drawing illustrates schematically and by way of example a form of execution of the wrist-watch in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 1 is a view from underneath of a wrist-watch, only one extremity of the wrist-Watch strap being represented.

FIG. 2 is a cross section at a greater scale along line Il-II of the FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial transversal cross section and at a larger scale of a variation of the locking device.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross section of a wrist-watch according to a second form of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a view partly in cross section of the fastening device and a broken-away section of one extremity of the strap.

FIG. 6 is a partial view from underneath of a wristwatch according to a third form of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross section of a detail at a larger scale.

FIG. 8 is a partial top view, certain parts being seen in cross section, according to a fourth form of the invennon.

FIG. 9 is a partial side view of a wrist-watch of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a cross section of a detail at a larger scale.

FIG. 11 is a partial view from underneath of a wristwatch according to a fifth form of the invention, the extremity of the wrist-watch strap being represented opposite its locking device.

FIG. 12 is a cross sect-ion along line XIIXII of FIG. 1 1.

FIG. 13 is a view from underneath of FIGS. 8 and 9.

According to FIGS. 1 and 2, the wrist-watch is of a general cylindrical shape and comprises a case 1 carrying a bezel 2 and a back 3. The said case is of a diameter a two or three times greater than the diameter b of the back. Besides, the said back 3 forms a jutting out of a height h with respect to the lower face g of the case. This height h is approximately equal to the height h of the case 1 and of the bezel 2.

In fact, the watch according to the present invention comprises, on the one hand, a bottom 3 having the form of a truncated cone of which the generatrix forms an angle a with the axis of the truncated cone (this angle only being constant for all generatrices in the particular case where the truncated cone is a body of revolution) and, on the other hand, an annular part 1 also having the form of a truncated cone but in which the generatrix forms an angle c with the axis of the cone (this angle only being constant for all generatrices. in the case of a truncated cone of revolution). As clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred form of construction is indicated in which the angle a is smaller than the angle c such that the space under the surface g enclosed between the plane .e

i atented July 4, 1961 and the generatrix i (see FIG. 4) is much larger than if the angles a and c were equal, or, better still, if the angle a was larger than the angle 0, which is the case for all the watches now on the market of which the case is cylindrical and the bottom frusto-conical.

This space provided under the space g of the case permits the housing of the elements for fixing the bracelet entirely in the interior of the cylinder having for its axis that of the watch case and of which the generatrices extend over the entire perimeter of the watch.

A retaining member 4, constituted by a guide, is rigidly fastened to the lower face g of the case 1 and is jutting out in relation with this lower face. A small bar 5, engaged in said guide 4, is maintained in its axial position by a maintaining or locking device, constituted by an annular groove 6 in which is engaged the extremity of a lock 7 sliding in a boring 8 made in the case and subjected to the action of a spring 9 relying on a small plate 10, set in a housing 11.

The central part 12 of the small bar presents a diameter corresponding to that of the bore of the guide and greater than the diameter of its two lateral parts 13. These lateral parts comprise, at their extremity, a stop member 14.

The extremity of the wrist-watch strap B, doubled up in the known manner, presents a cut 15 of a size corresponding to the size of the guide 4, and the two sheaths 16, thus formed, are engaged on the two lateral parts 13 of the small bar.

From the examination of the drawing, one may understand that the fastening device of the wrist-watch strap on the case of the wrist-watch is entirely hidden under the said case when the wrist-watch is fixed on the arm of the user. Moreover, the back being of a relatively small diameter with respect to the diameter of the case, the said back penetrates into the epidermis so that the wrist-watch seems to be flatter than it is in reality, thus allowing a wrist-watch to be equipped with a clockwork presenting a greater thickness, being thus robust, and still giving the illusion of an extra-flat wrist-Watch.

In a modification, according to FIG. 3, the locking device of the small bar 5 in the axial position in its guide 4 comprises a spring 17 forming an arc of circle of more than one of the extremities of which is bent and forms a finger 18 extending itself radially towards the center of the said arc of circle. Said spring is housed in an annular groove 19, formed in the external surface of the guide 4, and its finger 18, crossing a radial boring 20, is engaged in an annular groove 21 of the small bar 5.

In another embodiment according to FIGS. 4 and 5, the inner face g of the case 1 is of a general conical shape and the retaining member is constituted by a guide 4 the cross section of which is rectangular. Said guide is located below the case, between the plane 7" of the upper edge of said case and the plane e of the back 3 and is afiixed to the peripheral edge of the case. Said small bar is arched and presents a central part 22 of a greater width and two lateral parts 23 ending in two offsets 24. The extremity of the wrist-watch strap, doubled up and comprising the cut 15, is engaged on said small bar, as represented by FIG. 5. The locking device of the small bar in the axial position in its guide is constituted, on the one hand, by the cut 15 the lateral edges of which co-operate with the frontal faces of the guide 4 and, on the other hand, by the offsets 24 which form stops co-operating with the lateral edges of the wrist-watch strap. Said locking device constitutes, thus, simultaneously a maintaining device of the wrist-watch strap in its position on the small bar.

In a further embodiment according to FIGS. 6 and 7, the case, similar to the case illustrated by the FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises two pairs of retaining members, constituted by bearings 25 and 26 in which the extremities of two small bars 27 are engaged. The bearing 25 comprises a plug 28 on which one of the extremities of the small bar is engaged, while the bearing 26comprises a bush 29 screwed in its extremity and which presents an axial boring 30 in which the second extremity 31 of the small bar is engaged.

In a still further embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 8 to and 13, the case comprises two locking members, constituted by horns 31 carrying the guides 4. These horns are disposed on the one and the other side of the back and are ailixed to the lower face g of said case. The guides 4 are affixed to the peripheral edge of the case, and each carries a small fastening bar 32,

As represented in the drawing, the ends of the strap B are doubled and only the lower ply comprises a cut giving passage to the guide 4 while the upper ply covers over said guide. Each extremity of the small fastening bar 32 comprises a removable stop member, constituted by a head 33 (FIG. 10), carrying a sleeve 34, presenting an internal circular groove 35. In said groove is partially housed a split annular spring 36 which co-operates with an annular groove 37, made in every extremity of the small bar 32. These stop members, the back face 33 of which co-operates with the lateral edges 40 of the wrist-watch strap B, constitute with the cut 15, which is cooperating with the lateral edges of the guide 4, simultaneously a locking device of the small bar in axial position in the guide 4 and a maintaining device of the wrist-watch strap in position on the small bar.

In still another embodiment represented by FIGS. 11 and 12, the inner face of the case 1 comprises two guides 41 located on either side of the back 3 and disposed on the same diameter. Each guide comprises a smooth boring in which is engaged an axle 42 which is disposed in borings 43. The borings 43 are arranged in ears 44 rigidly fastened to an extremity link 47 of a metallic wrist-watch strap. This axle 42 is kept back in its axial position in its guide 41 by the lateral edges 45 of the extremity link. In order to allow the setting in place of said axle, the lateral edges 45 of the extremity link present each a boring 46 located in relation to the boring 43 of the cars 44, in such a manner, that when the extremity link is pulled elastically out of shape, it is possible to bring said four borings 43, 46 on the same straight line. Thus, it is possible to set in place the axle 42 which is automatically locked in between the lateral edges 45 when the link elastically regains its primitive form and consequently the borings 43 and 46 are no longer located on a straight line.

Some embodiments and objects of the invention have been described here by way of example and with reference to the attached drawing, but it goes without saying that many forms of execution and variations may be foreseen, adapted in each case to the sought after aim and to the imposed requirements.

Thus, for instance, the locking members could be integral either with the case 1 as represented on the drawing or with the back 3, but are hence always integral with a surface located in the inner of a cylinder, the generatrix of which is afiixed on the peripheral edge of the case. The case 1 and the back 3 could be made in one piece, as it is the case in the watch-case called twopieces. The case may be circular as represented on the drawing or of any other desired form, rectangular, oblong, polygonal and so, but always overhangs the back on at least two opposite sides of this back.

The locking device represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 could also comprise a ball sliding in a boring and subjected to the action of a strip spring, one of the extremities of which would be afiixed to the internal face of the case. This variation allows a locking device of a small length which may be housed in the wall of the small thickness of a case.

I claim:

1. A wrist watch comprising a case having a back and a bezel, said case and said back having the shape of truncated cones tapering inwardly and rearwardly of said case,

A the angle of taper of said case being greater than that of said back, diametrically opposed retaining means having guides therein for a watch strap fixed on the outer tapered surface of said case at regions rearwardly of the greatest diameter thereof, the diametrical distances between the outermost portions of the retaining means being less than the greatest diameter of said case whereby said retaining means are completely concealed rearwardly of the largest diameter of said case.

2. A wrist watch comprising a case having a back and a bezel, said case and said back having the shape of truncated cones tapering inwardly and rearwardly of said case, the greatest diameter of said case being greater than that of said back, said case having an angle of taper great er than that of said back, diametrically opposed retaining means having outermost portions for a watch strap fixed on the outer tapered surface of said case at regions rearwardly of the greatest diameter thereof, and guides for watch strap-fastening means disposed in said retaining means, the diametrical distances between the outermost portions of the retaining means being less than the greatest diameter of said case whereby said retaining means are completely concealed rearwardly of the greatest diameter of said case.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 159,306 Warren July 11, 1950 D. 172,923 Tederman Aug. 31, 1954 923,930 Baerbalck June 8, 1909 947,637 Gray Jan. 25, 1910 990,618 Winton et al. Apr. 25, 1911 1,516,223 Wadsworth Nov. 18, 1924 1,653,535 Bonhajo Dec. 20, 1927 1,867,011 Kestenman July 12, 1932 2,163,208 Moody June 20, 1939 2,743,857 Gold et al. May 1, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 208,211 Switzerland Apr 1, 1940 284,842 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1952 451,911 Great Britain Aug. 13, 1936 517,807 Great Britain Feb. 8, 1940 

